Outlet or junction box



July 22, 1930. .1. G. KNIGHT OUTLET OR JUNCTION BOX Filed April 25, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR' 3Y0 TTbRNfiY 1 1 4 1 w w WHPI Q a .1 A 2 /fl Q JULIAN GORDON nus/Ir y 22, 1930- J. G. KNIGHT 1,771,225

4 OUTLET OR JUNCTION BOX Filed April 25, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 x k L a 18 15 H h P i I .15 1 27, i 14 m UL? J'l/L IAN GORDON KNIGHT 7 BY if 26 y 1930. J. G. KNIGHT 1,711,225 OUTLET OR JUNCTION BOX Filed April 23, 1925 I5 SLeets-Sheet 3 26 26 A OR.NEY

Patented July 22, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JULIAN GORDON? KNIGHT, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK OUTLET OR JUNCTION BOX Application filed April 28, 1925.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an outlet or junction box of a universal type adapted for use interchangeably either in Walls or floors, adaptable 6 to either deep or shallow floor slabs and suited to different size conduits and for either straight through or angular conduit layouts.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide for better anchorage and support of the box in the slab and to provide more room in the box for the drawing in and the packing of the wires therein.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by certain novel features of construction, combinations and relations of parts, including in particular the formation of the box with a square or angular upper conduit receiving portion and a lower, circular or otherwise reduced portion, the upper part receiving the conduits of different sizes and at different angles and the shoulder connecting the two portions acting as an anchorage for positioning and supporting the box in the slab.

Other important novel features of the invention will appear more fully as the specification proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, the invention is illustrated embodied in practical commercial form, but it should be understood that the structure may be modified as regards this disclosure without departure from the broad spirit and scope of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box as ready for installation in a deep or relatively thick floor slab. Figure 2is an enlarged vertical'sectional view of the same as on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is asimilar iew of the body or main sect-ion with the extension or cuff portion removed.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the full length box, that is, with the extension.

Figure 5 is a broken cross section as on the line 55 of Figure 4 showing the main or body section only, as it is mounted on the Serial No. 25,217.

form and the slab material in supporting en 'agement therewith.

*igures 6 and 7 are plan and perspective vlews respectively showing the main body section as constructed without the lateral supporting flanges first shown.

Figures 8 and 9 are broken sectional views similar to Figure 5, illustrating a modificatlon in the form of the shoulder connecting the square and circular portions of the box.

As shown most clearly in Figures 1 to 4, the upper or outer portion of the box is of angular outline, being illustrated as substantially square with four rectangularly related upstanding walls 10, 11, 12, 13, and the lower portion is of reduced size, being shown as of substantially circular outline at 14. That which remains of the bottom 15 of the angular or squared portion forms a connection with the upper end of the reduced portion and as shown in Figure 5, acts as a shoulder beneath which the concrete flows to anchor alnd) firmly support the box in the finished s a The. connecting shoulder between the larger and smaller portions of the box body, instead of extending at an abrupt right angle to the side walls, may be curved or more or less inclined, as indicated at 15*, and this incline may vary from a relatively shallow slope in the corners of the box, as in Figure 8, to a steeper slope midway the sides of the box as in Figure 9. The inclining of the dependent flange portion of the box in this way enables the drawing of the flange to a greater length than where the flange is drawn at an abrupt right angle from the bottom of the box.

Further support for the box body is provided in the first form of the invention illustrated by flanges 16 turned outwardly from the upper edges of opposite side walls 13, 11. T hose flanges are provided with screw seats 17 for the screws 18 which secure the cover 19 in place.

The upper supporting ledges or flanges are not essential. especially in view of the supporting shoulders 15 or 15 and so may be omitted as indicated in Figures 6 and 7, where the seats for the cover securing screws are shown provided in screw lugs 20 turned inward from opposite side walls of the box body. p

The larger upper portion and the reduced lower portion of the box maybe made in one piece or in several parts. Preferably, however, for economical reasons, this entire box body is made in one single piece and the upper larger conduit receiving portion may be constructed as in my co-pending application, Serial #15,816, with the four sides turned up from the bottom section and interlocked at the corners as indicated at 21.

Knockouts 22 are shown provided in the side walls of the upper angular box portion and preferably the knockouts in each of said walls are of different sizes so that different size conduit may be connected in at any side of the box. This enables the box to be used to meet practically any wiring requirements.

The top also may have knockouts of difl'erent sizes as indicated at 23. i

The intermediate shoulder 15 or 15, connecting the larger and smaller portions of the box is utilized in the illustration for the same purpose as the nailing lugs ordinarily provided in boxes for concrete work, the same being shown as having perforations 24 through which nails or other fastenings 25 can'be driveninto the form work 26, Figure 5. These openings may be located in the corners ofthe box body where there is plenty of room to drive the nails with a hammer.

The lower cover, which may be of any suitable design, may be secured to the bottom or back of the box by screws, in the usual way, engaging with seats provided in the screw lugs 27, turned inward from the edge of the box flange.

Where the box is to be embedded in a relatively deep or thick slab, a cylindrical sleeve or cufl may he slipped over the flange extension 14 and be suitably secured thereto as by means of rivets 28, Figures 1 and 2. p This extension sleeve is shown as provided at its lower or inner end with inturned screw lugs 29 for the bottom or cover and out-turned nailing lugs 30 to receive fastenings for attaching the box in position on the form.

The four angular sides with the diflerent size knockouts enable two lines of conduit to be brought into each side of the box and the square formation provides plenty of room for securing these parallel lines in place. If desired, more than two knockouts may be provided in each of the sides as there is room for the same in a box of this structure. The square top formation also enables easier handling of the wires as there ismore room for working on the wires and greater space is provided for pushing the wires back into the box after they have been pulled through the conduits. This increased space also is of great advantage in the making of splices or other connections at the box. The oflset or shoulder at the junction between the uare and circular portions of the box provi es a bearing by which the box is well supported and anchored in the slab independently of the support afforded by the conduits and also provides a convenient and accessible way for nailing the box in position on the form. The supporting effect is increased when the outstanding flanges or lugs are provided at the upper edges of the box. The structure is relatively simple and inexpensive and because of its adaptability to different requirements, is practically a universal box.

What is claimed is:

1. An outlet, junction or wall box comprising a substantially square shallow box body having a substantially cylindrical extension projecting from the bottom or back wall of the shallow square portion and the connecting wall between the square and cylindrical portions being formed as a shoulder for supporting the box body in a concrete slab or the like, the shoulder wall having an opening or openings therein for the passage of nails or other positioning devices to be driven down through the square portion and out at the sides of the cylindrical portion.

2. An outlet, junction or wall box having. an upper or outer portion with conduit knockouts in the sides of the same and having a portion of reduced diameter extended downwardly or rearwardly from the bottom or back of said conduit receiving portion. said box body having shoulders of appreciable extent connecting the main and reduced portions of the box body for supporting engagement in a slab or the like and the wall forming said shoulder being perforated for the passage of nails or the like to be driven down through the larger, upper or outer portion of the box.

3. An outlet, junction or wall box comprising a substantially polygonal light. sheet metal shallow box body having a substantially circular extension projecting from the bottom of said shallow polygonal portion and alaterally extending connecting wall between the polygonal and circular portions forming a shoulder for supporting the box body in a slab of concrete. the polygonal portion of the box body terminating at the top in a continuous flat seat, a sheet metal cover plate resting on the fiat seat at the upper edge of the polygonal portion of the box body and means .for removably securing said cover plate to the box body, said securing means being accessible on top of the cover plate whereby the latter may be readily removed after the substantially polygonal and circular portions of the box body have been embedded in a concrete slab.

4. An outlet. junction or wall box, compris-' member, said flanges extending outwardly at the top of the box body formed by said side wall member for suspendingsaid box body from the up r end of the same in a slab of concrete an independently of any other means, a flat rim cover formed independently of the thus suspended .box body andcoo er ating fastenings between the suspen ing flanges and the cover for remo vably securing the cover and whereby the cover maybe applied or removed without altering the suspen sion of the box body in the slab.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of April, 1925.

JULIAN GORDON KNIGHT. 

